AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday expressed concern over the recent developments in Bangladesh and incidents of violence in India, called for the protection of minorities and stressed the need for regional stability.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Owaisi said that his party strongly condemns the killing of Dipu Chandra Das and Amrit Mandal in Bangladesh and supports the steps being taken by the Indian government to maintain strong relations with the neighboring country.
He said, “As far as our party is concerned, we condemn what happened to Dipu Chandra Das and Amrit Mandal, and we support every step being taken by the Government of India to maintain strong relations with Bangladesh.”
Owaisi further said that Bangladesh was founded on the ideals of secular Bangla nationalism and is home to about 20 million non-Muslim minorities. He expressed hope that tensions between the two countries would not escalate and said that recent incidents in Bangladesh were against its constitutional values.
Owaisi further said, “Bangladesh was founded on the basis of secular Bangla nationalism, and 2 crore non-Muslim minorities live in Bangladesh. I sincerely hope that tensions between India and Bangladesh will not escalate, and whatever is happening in Bangladesh in the context of the tragic incident of Dipu Chandra Das and Amrit Mandal is contrary to their constitutional obligation, and I hope that Mr. Yunus will ensure the safety of all minorities living in Bangladesh.”
Emphasizing the importance of regional stability, Owaisi said that peace in Bangladesh is of utmost importance for India’s security, especially in the North-Eastern region.
Referring to recent political developments, he said that there has been a people’s revolution in Bangladesh and expressed hope that relations between the two countries will improve after the elections to be held in February. He also warned about the presence of elements hostile to India, including ISI and China, in the region.
Owaisi said, “But at the same time, we should also remember that stability in Bangladesh is very important for the security of India, especially the security of Northeast India. There has been a people’s revolution in Bangladesh, and we hope that relations between India and Bangladesh will be even better when elections are held in February. And we should also remember that ISI, China and all these forces considered enemies of India are now present in Bangladesh.”
Meanwhile, Owaisi expressed concern over the incidents of violence in India. He cited the lynching of a laborer from West Bengal in Sambalpur, Odisha, and the death of tribal MBA student Angel Chakma after an alleged attack in Uttarakhand.
He further said, “On December 24, a laborer from West Bengal was lynched in Sambalpur, Odisha. Angel Chakma, a tribal boy pursuing MBA in Uttarakhand, was also thrashed. He died. These are all clear examples that when the rule of law breaks down and majoritarian politics takes over, such lynchings happen, which we must condemn.”
His comment came after the news published in the Daily Star on Wednesday reported that a Hindu youth named Amrit Mandal was beaten to death on charges of extortion in Hosendanga village of Kalimohor union in Pangsha sub-district of Rajbari.
Mandal’s murder comes just days after the lynching and burning of Hindu youth Dipu Chandra Das by a mob in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh district.
Dipu Chandra Das, who worked in a textile factory, was beaten to death by a mob on alleged blasphemy charges and his body was hanged and set on fire on 18 December.
The Daily Star quoted Abdullah Al Mamun, Additional Superintendent of Police, Mymensingh, as saying that a factory official had informed Bhaluka police that a group of workers attacked Dipu inside the factory and accused him of making “derogatory remarks about the Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH)” in a Facebook post.
However, Mohammed Shamsuzzaman, commander of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-14 company in Mymensingh, told The Daily Star that investigators did not find any evidence to suggest that the deceased had posted or written anything on Facebook that could hurt religious sentiments.
